Union Corruption

RI Union Boss Tries to "Break Through the Labor Movement's Culture of Favoritism" by Accepting Kickbacks for Contracts

Nick Cote — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:48:50 -0500

A recent story in the Providence Journal serves as a stark reminder of union bosses' historical ties to the mafia and the propensity of union militants to mask their corruption and violence under pleasant-sounding goals like social justice.

U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith gave Nicholas Manocchio, a former director of the Laborers' New England Region Organizing Fund, three years' probation for accepting cash, liquor, rental cars and gift certificates from an undercover FBI agent posing as a contractor seeking business in Rhode Island.

Before being sentenced, Manocchio told Smith that he was "ashamed and embarrassed and repentant." He had worked for social justice causes, he said, and had tried to break through the labor movement’s culture of favoritism. "I hope you don’t define me by that single act."

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SEIU Union Goons Assault Dissenting Employee; Threaten "Next Time We're Going to Kill You"

Anthony Riedel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:04:53 -0500

Late last week, notoriously corrupt Service Employee International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 brass sent a clear message to those who object and attempt to expose their shady underbellies. When California state employee and part-time reporter Ken Hamidi, a vocal critic of SEIU boss corruption, arrived at a SEIU Local 1000 meeting as in preparation for a cable access show exposing the local's misconduct, SEIU union thugs assaulted him:

NRTW In the News: Forced Unionism Radical Craig Becker Dangerous to Workers' Rights

Anthony Riedel — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:47:16 -0400

Today, President Barack Obama's nomination of pro-compulsory unionism radical Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is scheduled to be taken up in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

National Right to Work President Mark Mix warns in today's Washington Times of the grave dangers Becker's possible confirmation will pose to workers' rights:

Sickening Blagojevich Legacy Ready to Metastasize to Rest of Country

Anthony Riedel — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:27:49 -0400

The alarming trend of politicians forcing workers into union ranks continues in Illinois as Governor Pat Quinn -- in order to win Big Labor's political support -- is resurrecting the sordid legacy of disgraced Governor Rod Blagojevich (and Gray Davis of California) subverting workers' rights to benefit forced dues-hungry union bosses.

Corrupt SEIU Bosses Paying Protesters to Support Health Care Forced Unionism

Will Collins — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:15:26 -0400

Last Tuesday, Health Care for American Now (HCAN) - a radical coalition that includes bosses from the all-powerful SEIU union, the AFL-CIO, the humilated United Auto Workers (UAW) union and dozens of other unions, along with forced unionism-allies such as the corrupt ACORN group - declared a national day of action.

The expressed goal of this Big Labor/ACORN axis? To create "political villains" by demonizing health care providers across the country.

Obama Administration Claims Desire to Cut Federal Spending, Places Union Corruption Unit on the Chopping Block

Will Collins — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:09:10 -0400

Here at Freedom@Work, we've spent some time documenting the Obama Administration's efforts to gut basic union transparency guidelines under the guise of saving money. We've also urged concerned readers to get involved to help stop the Department of Labor from rolling back transparency requirements aimed at curbing Big Labor's corrupt practices. Unfortunately, the worst may be yet to come -- the Administration has just announced its potential plans to close the Employment Standards Administration, an office tasked with rooting out union corruption:

Big Labor Syndicate Hires ACORN Henchmen To Run 'Mob-Style Protection Racket'

Anthony Riedel — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:12:09 -0400

In case you missed it, earlier this month the Washington Examiner reported that from 2005 to 2008, Big Labor's big money boys have funneled nearly $10 million from forced-dues-fueled union treasuries to the scandal-ridden Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (popularly known as "ACORN") and its affiliates.

Employees Force Settlement in Precedent-Setting Federal Union Racketeering Lawsuit

Anthony Riedel — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:22:43 -0400

Bombshell Report: Top Union Boss Apparently Solicited Bribes To Greenlight Lucrative Pension Fund Deals

Will Collins — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:08:27 -0400

A California union boss is under investigation for soliciting bribes from financial firms who wanted to invest in Big Labor's pet political projects.

Sean Harrigan, a former top official with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFWC) union, was also a board member of California's massive public pension fund (CalPERS). Instead of working to safeguard workers' pension plans, however, Harrigan used his position to steer lucrative state investments toward financial firms who agreed to contribute to the UFCW's political programs:

Obama's a Budget Hawk! But Only Slashes Budget of Watchdog Agency Over Union Corruption

Will Collins — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:39:04 -0400

For all the talk of "restoring labor standards," the Obama Administration is cutting four million dollars from the Office of Labor and Management Standards' (OLMS) already small budget for 2010 (see page 13 of the budget appendix under "Employment Standards Administration").